Cartridge supply device



May 18, -1,965 R. STADELMANN 3,183,778

CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVI CE Filed Nov. 5, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet l May 18,1965 R. sTADELMANN 3,183,778

CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

May 18, 1965 R. STADELMANN CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVI CE Filed Nov. 5, 1963 6Sheets-Sheet 3 M//H /77/7/7/T May 18, 1965 R. sTADr-:LMANN 3,183,778

CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5

8 /l 9 I7 43 M /7 V( 0 4/\ n 42 495/ A o 3 l gis 4850 46 i ai `f\` f5 u\225 18a 30a 306 30 3U|c I9 May 18, 1965 R. STADELMANN CARTRIDGE SUPPLYDEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 Fig l 5IIIIIIIIIIIIIII'$11'.b

Filed Nov. 5, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 F ig. 7

United States Patent 3,183,778 CARTRIDGE SUPPLY DEVICE RudolfStadelmann, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Verwaitungsgesellschaft derWerkzeugmaschinenfabrilr Uerllron, Zurich-@erliirom Switzerland FiledNov. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 321,631 Claims priority, application Switzerland,Nov. 9, 1962, 13,164/ 62 2 Claims. (Cl. 89-33) The invention relates toa cartridge supply device for automatic lire arms having a supplychannel connected to the weapon proper and surrounding the supply pathfor the cartridges, and guides arranged ahead of this supply channel,which locate the conveyer path for the cartridges, conveyer means forthe transport of cartridges lying loosely side by side engaging into thesaid conveyer path.

Weapons have become known in which the cartridges in the conveyerchannel are moved by the pressure of the succeeding cartridges which arebrought along by the conveyer means. When, however, the store ofcartridges in the magazine is exhausted and no more cartridges aresupplied by the conveyer means, then no drive acts any more on thecartridges contained in the conveyer channel of the weapon, so thatthese cartridges are no longer moved along and can no longer be fired.This constitutes a reduction of the availability of the ammunition storecontained on the drum.

Moreover there exist weapons which are moreover provided with amechanism, hereinafter called a rake, which engages the cartridgesrunning into the supply channel and moves the same in the rhythm of thetiring successively in a position ahead of the breech into the loadingposition. Such raices operate continuously, i.e. at every shot andtherefore can give rise to breakdowns. When, moreover, the energy forthe drive of the rake has to be drawn on the kinetic energy of thebreech of the weapon, this results in a reduction of the cadence of theweapon.

The invention has the primary object of obviating the said disadvantagesby replacing said rake by more suitable means which come into operationonly upon the magazine becoming empty in order to move the few remainingcartridges along and that it is accordingly less liable to breakdownsand moreover does not affect the cadence ot' the weapon.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent laterfrom the specification and the accompanying drawing, I provide acartridge feeder device for an automatic firearm, comprising incombination: a feeder channel adjoining said firearm and enclosing thefeeder path of the cartridges thereto, guides arranged ahead of saidfeeder channel and determining the conveying path of the cartridges,conveyer means engaging into said conveyer path for the transport of thecartridges lying loosely side by side, a sensing member capable ofengaging into said conveyer path and having a sensing position, in whichit is held by the cartridges moving along said conveyer path, and adrop-oit position, a pusher member having a position of readinessoutside said feeder path and a working position inside said feeder pathand on transition from said position of readiness to said workingposition pushing along the cartridges located in said feeder channel, aconnecting member connecting said sensing member with said pushermember, and power means moving said sensing member from its sensingposition into its dropoi'l position after the passage of the lastcartridge through said guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel, andmoving said pusher member from its position of readiness into itsworking position by the aid of said connecting member driven by saidsensing member.

In the accompanying drawing two embodiments of the invention areillustrated by way of example, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section on the plane of symmetry I-I of FIG. 2 of a twingun.

FIG. 2 is an elevation of one half of the gun as seen from the righthand side of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a section of the cartridge supply device according to the rstembodiment shown in the rest position of the supply member.

FIG. 4 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 3 in the workingposition of the supply members.

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a detail of part of thecartridge supply device on the second embodiment with the weapon properbroken olf.

FIG. 6 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 3 of the secondembodiment of the cartridge supply device.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective detail views of parts of a conveyer disc,namely in FIG. 8 when combing one cartridge out of the same.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 a twin gun is mounted on the platform 2,which is mounted rotatably on a base 1. The side shields 3 of this gun,which are tixed on that platform, form the bearings for the two shieldtrunnions 4a of the cradle i on each of which a cartridge magazine 5constructed as a drum is rotatably mounted. These magazines 5 take partin the elevation setting movements of the automatic iire arms d mountedon the cradle 4. Such a drum magazine S with the conveyer disc 7 combingthe cartridges out of the same is described in detail and illustrated intl e U.S.A. patent specilicaton No. 2,910,917. In the drawing a platecovering the conveyer disc in the direction of the weapon d is denoted 8while the cover' separating the drum magazine 5 from the conveyer discis referred to by the character 9. From the FIGS. 7 and 8 it is clearthat the member denoted conveyer disc is formed by radially directedrods 11 attached at equal angular spacing on the hub 1d, which discsbound compartments 12 for receiving the cartridges 36B. On each of theserods 11 two cams 13 are attached each of which has a support face for acartridge 30 and a control face 13a. Two stripper cams 14 provided withinclined control faces 15 are attached on the cover plate 8 (FIG. 3) andprotrude into the region of the apertures 16 which are cut of the coverplate 8 and extend over the whole length ofthe rods 11 of the conveyerdisc.

As Shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 two side walls 17 are attached on theplates 8 and 9, which carry those members which serve for the conveyingof the cartridges from the conveyor disc 7 to the weapon 6. At the innerfaces of the walls 17 two arms 1S are pivotally mounted on pins 52 (FIG.4). These arms 18 carry auxiliary arms 18a directed transversely oftheir longitudinal axes, which auxiliary arms are connected with oneanother by means of a bar 19 lying parallel to the plate 8. On the bar19 the carriers 20 of the two circular rounded strips 21 constructed asguides are mounted which in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 of thearms 18 iind their continuation in two lugs 24 likewise constructed asguides, which are arranged as continuations of the supply duct 23encircling the cartridge supply track of the weapons 6 and are attachedthereon. The strips 21 constructed as guides, the jaws 33 and lugs 24determine the conveyer path 54 for the cartridges into which engage starwheels 26 and 27 serving as the conveyer means for the transport of thecartridges 30 lying loosely side by side. The ends of the strips 21,which in FIG. 3 are on the right hand side, lie at the level of thecontrol face 15 of the stripper cams 14.

In the arms 18 the shaft 25 is journalled, the axis of which forms thecentre of the curve strips 21 and on which the two star wheels 26 andmoreover the gear wheel 29 having internal gearing are keyed, whichlatter is in a. driving connection. withV the motor 2S in a manner notillustrated in detail. As shownv in FIG. 5 the necks of the cartridgeslie in recesses on the forward star wheel 26 while the rear star wheel27 engages into the ejector grooves 30C of the cartridge feet.

In the bracket 31 fixed to the plate 8 the bolt. 32 is clamped on whichtwo jaws 33 provided with control faces 33a are fixed. In the arm 31a ofthe bracket 31 there is. moreover fixed -an axle 34, on which a sensingleverV 35 constructed as a sensing member engaging into the cartridgeconveyer track 5S is pivotally mounted. A bar 36 having two forked endsis pivotally mounted as a connecting member on the one hand on thissensing lever 35 and moveover on the lever 37. The latter is ixedlyVmounted on a shaft 38 whichl is rotatably journalled in thetwo sidewalls 17 of the frame, on which shaft moreover the two supply levers 39are keyed (FIG. 5) the supply levers 39, the shaft 38 and the lever 37form between themselves the ixedly connected paths of a pusher membercapable of being pushed into lthe cartridge supply n path; The supplylevers 39have push faces 39a which in the readiness position runapproximately parallel to the control faces 33a of the jaws 33. Theforward supply member 39is subject to the pressure of a portion spring40 which acts on. the same and accordingly also on the shaft` 3S and onthe rear supply member and consequently on the pusher member in theclockwise rotational sense (FIG. 3) the spring 40 may be replaced by aYspring which as viewed in FIG. 3 acts on the sensing lever 35 in thecounter clockwise direction or on the connecting rod 36,towards thelift.

In the sidewalls 17 and in the bracket 41 lixedly con-V nected with theplate 8 the shaft 42 is journalled rotatably on` which theends of thetwo levers 43 are keyed. These levers are loaded by the coiled springs44 pushed o ver the shaft and bearing on the bracket 41, which springsact rotationallyv in the clockwise sense on the same (FIG. 4). On eachof the levers 33 one end of the bars 53vis pivotally attached, the otherends of which are pivotally attached `to the arms 18. These arms 18 areaccordingly pulled by the arms 53 under the bias of the springs 44 awayfrom the platform. A cam 43a counectedl withl one of the levers 43limits the movement of the arms 1S in this direction by abutting theplate 8. At the end ofa movementof the levers 43 performed against theforce of the springs 44 one of these levers operates in a manner not'shown in detail a switch which controls the coupling which is builtbetween the driving motor 28 and the members moving the cartridges awayfrom the magazineV 5 such as the conveyor disc 7 and the star when@2.7.'-

'On the basis of this construction the following manner of operationresults: Y

VWhen putting the gun in readiness for firingthe cartridges haveto besupplied to the weapons from the drum magazines 5 associated with. eachof the two weapons 6, so that then a cartridge lies there ready forfiring before the open bridge. Before the beginning of this, loadingoperation` the arms 18 assume with the car- Y tridge` guide 21A aposition as illustrated in FIG. 4. After the starting ofthe motor 23driving the drum magazine 5, the conveyor disc l and the star wheels'26,27 synchronously,'the cartridges'are transferred in the mannerdescribedl in the aforesaid U.S.A. patent specification No.

2,910,917 from the magazine 5 through the rotary con- Y v eyer disc 7from the compartments 12 of which they are combed in accordance withFIG.' 8, by the Ycontrol face 30a ofthe cams13 and 14 into the recessesof the rotating star 'wheels` 2 7, 26.

.After the first 'ofthe cartridgesy moved by the star: 21,23 havereached a posiwheels 26, 2,7 along the guides tion indicated for clarityin FIG. 4 at F, it abuts the sensing .lever 35, which is in the drop-offposition. This lever isV then turnedrin the clockwise sense while at thesame time the spring 40 Vis loadedv to such an extent that under-the'bias'of this spring V40 it canmove with its tip.

of position (FIG. 4) into the raised sensing positionV (FIG. 3) at thesame timethe push member with its two supply levers 39'is swung by themovement of the rod 36 connected with it from its working position inthe supply channel 33 into the` position of readiness outside the supplytrack 22 namely to such an extent thatthe cartridges which move alongthe control surface 33a of the jaws 33 can enter unhampered into thesupply channel 23 (FIG. 3).

During this movement along the surfaces 33a the cartridges 3) are combedout ofthe recesses ofthe star wheels 26, 27, and are moved along intothe supply channel 22 by the pressure of the subsequent cartridgescontacting one another along a generatix. When theforemost cartridge hasreached its end position ahead of the breech, in whichpit is supportedlaterally, the arms 18` with the strips 21 are forced by the reactionapplied by the cartridges located outside the star wheels 26, 27v on thecartridge moved by the latter along, prior to being combed out, from theupper position illustrated in FIG. 4 into the lower position accordingto FlG. 3 against the bias of the springs 44. In this position the driveof the conveyer means, i.e. also of the star wheels 26, 27, isinterrupted automatically by the couplingv 24 by means of the lever 43a.As soon as one cartridge has been fired, the pressure acting on the arms1S diminishes, so that the same are pulled upwardly by the springs 44,Upon starting of this movement of the arms the coupling 45 with thedriving motor 28 is. automatically re-engaged by means of the lever 43a.This upward movement of the arms 1S effects aV shortening of theconveyer path containing the cartridges between the weapon 6 and theconveyer disc 7 and bounded by the guides Z1, 24 and 33 in such a mannerthat before the conveyer; members 7, 26, 27, after the engaging of thecoupling'have again reached their operational rotational speed, thecartridges are pushed along in the supply channel 23. By the mobility ofthe arms 1S and of the strips 21 it is made possible to store acartridge and by this storage to compensate small differences in thesupply output of the conveyor disc 7. as comparedwith the consumption ofthe weapon.

When the magazine 5 isempty and no more cartridges are transferred fromthe conveyer disc 7 to the star wheels 26, 27', the sensing lever 35 isforced by the bias of the springs 14 downwardly as soon as the last ofthe cartridges conveyed along by these wheels has passed the same.Thereby the supply levers 39 are turned in the clockwise sense abouttheir axes 33 so that their pusher faces '39a bear on the rearmost ofthe three cartridges still to be tired which at this moment for exampleassume positions as the cartridges denoted M, N, O, in FIG. 3.

After the tiring of the cartridge M assumed to be lying rhisY workingposition of the push member 39 is determined by theA sensing lever 35forV which the shaft 25 acts as an abutment during its downwardmovement. v

In FIG. 6 arffurther embodimentof the invention is illustrated bj way ofexample. In contrast to the first embodimentrdescribed hereinabove thesensing lever 55, Y which is here in driving connection with the supplylevers 39, carries laterally a square cam' 46. Onthe axle 32 Y moreoverthe lever 47 is pivotally mounted, whichhas a Y Y rectangular shapedresty surface 47a, Whchlies in the same plane directed Vtowards the axleas the cam 45 'i of the lever 45. A sensing lever 43 is pivotallymounted on the axle 34 so that its rounded control'face 49 lies sisef/vsina common plane with the roller journalled laterally on the lever 47. Aspring 51 acts on the sensing lever 4S as well as on the lever a7 in thecounter-clockwise rotational sense.

The manner of operation is brieiiy as follows:

ln the rest position both levers 55 and 4S bear on the shaft 255 underthe pressure of the springs biasing them (FlG. 4). When setting up thereadiness for firing, the first cartridge engaged by the conveyer wheels26, 27, pushes both levers upwardly. During this movement the lever 55gets with the face dela of its cam te in contact with the face 47h ofthe lever 47 and pushes the same during its continued upward movement inthe clockwise sense about the axis of rotation 32. When the two levers55 and t6 have reached their highest position under the pushing actionof the cartridge, the lower face of the cam do lies at the level of therest face 47a of the lever 47. Thereby the latter can move under thebias of its associated spring 5l in the counter-clocltwise direction, itcan reach with its face 47a from below under the cam 46 of the sensinglever 55 and thereby retain the same in this position (FIG. 6).

In contrast the sensing lever S8 remains mobile and drops, after theirst cartridge has moved past the same, by the bias of the spring 51acting on it onto the cartridge following the same in the star wheelswhich by its movement pushes it again upwardly. As long as cartridgesare supplied by the star wheels 26, 27, the sensing lever t3 swingsaccordingly in this small angular range up and down, the roller 50mounted on the lever 47 rolling along its control face di?. This face isso constructed that upon a movement of the sensing lever 48 within thisrange no drive is applied to the lever 47 in the sense of turning thesame. As soon as, however, the last cartridge of the store in themagazine has passed the sensing lever 48, the same is moved downwardlyby the bias of the spring 5l. Then by the upper part of its control face49 a pressure is applied on the roller 50 and accordingly on the lever47, and the latter is turned about the axle 32 in the clockwise sense,whereby the support of the cam 46 from below on the sensing lever 55 isabolished and the latter is forced downwardly by the spring 4t). Thesupply members 39 push during this movement of the sensing lever 55 inthe manner described hereinabove the last three cartridges stillcontained in and ahead of the supply channel 23 successively in aposition before the breech of the weapon.

While I have described herein and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings what may be considered typical and particularly usefulembodiments of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that I donot limit myself t'o the particular details and dimensions described andillustrated; for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled inthe art.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cartridge feeder device for an automatic lirearm, comprising incombination: a feeder channel adjoining said firearm and enclosing afeeder path of the cartridges thereto, guides arranged ahead of saidfeeder channel and determining the conveying path of the cartridges,conveyor means engaging into said conveyor pathfor the transport lof thecartridges lying loosely side by side, a cartridge operated loadinglever having a drop-off position in which it is engaging into saidconveyor path and a loading position in which it disengages thecartridges moving along said conveyor path, a pusher member having aposition of readiness outside said feeder path and a Working positioninside said feeder path and on transition from said position ofreadiness to said working position pushing along the cartridges locatedin said feeder channel, a connecting member connecting said loadinglever with said pusher member, spring means moving by the aid of saidconnecting member and after the passage of the last cartridge throughsaid guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel said loading leverfrom its loading position into its drop-olf position and said pushermember from its position of readiness into its working position, saidconveyer means moving said loading lever from its drop-off position intoits loading position to load said spring means by the action of thefirst cartridge being pushed through said guides.

2. A cartridge feeder device for an automatic firearm, comprising incombination: a feeder channel adjoining said firearm and enclosing afeeder path of the cartridges thereto, guides arranged ahead of saidfeeder channel and determining the conveying path of the cartridges,conveyor means engaging into said conveyor path for the transport of thecartridges lying loosely side by side, a cartridge operated loadinglever having a drop-off position in which it is engaging into saidconveyer path and a loading position in which it disengages thecartridges moving along said conveyer path, a pusher member having aposition of readiness outside said feeder path and a Working positioninside said feeder path and on transition from said position ofreadiness to said working position pushing along the cartridges locatedin said feeder channel, a connecting member connecting said loadinglever with said pusher member, spring means moving by the aid of saidconnecting member and after the passage of the last cartridge throughsaid guides arranged ahead of said feeder channel said loading leverfrom its loading position into its drop-olf position and said pushermember from its position of readiness into its Working position, saidconveyer means moving said loading lever from its drop-off position intoits loading position to load said spring means by the action of thefirst cartridge being pushed through said guides, a sensing member, acontrol cam attached to said sensing member, a locking lever, a rollerjournalled on said locking lever and abutting said control cam, saidlocking lever having a rest face, said loading lever having a camcapable of being arrested in said loading position by contact with saidrest face, said spring means comprising a spring biasing said sensingmember, which after the passage of the last cartridge through saidconveyor path raises said locking lever by means of said control cam ofsaid sensing member moving into its release position and therebyreleases said loading lever, and a further spring, which after theraising of said locking lever moves said pusher member from its positionof readiness into its working position.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Examiner.

1. A CARTRIDGE FEEDER DEVICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC FIREARM, COMPRISING INCOMBINATION: A FEEDER CHANNEL ADJOINING SAID FIREARM AND ENCLOSING AFEEDER PATH OF THE CARTRIDGES THERETO, GUIDES ARRANGED AHEAD OF SAIDFEEDER CHANNEL AND DETERMINING THE CONVEYING PATH OF THE CARTRIDGES,CONVEYOR MEANS ENGAGING INTO SAID CONVEYOR PATH FOR THE TRANSPORT OF THECARTRIDGES LYING LOOSELY SIDE BY SIDE, A CARTRIDGE OPERATED LOADINGLEVER HAVING A DROP-OFF POSITION IN WHICH IT IS ENGAGING INTO SAIDCONVEYOR PATH AND A LOADING POSITION IN WHICH IT DISENGAGES, THECARTRIDGE MOVING ALONG SAID CONVEYOR PATH, A PUSHER MEMBER HAVING APOSITION OF READINESS OUTSIDE SAID FEEDER PATH AND A WORKING POSITIONINSIDE SAID FEEDER PATH AND ON TRANSITION FROM SAID POSITION OFREADINESS TO SAID WORKING POSITION PUSHING ALONG THE CARTRIDGES LOCATEDIN SAID FEEDER CHANNEL, A CONNECTING MEMBER CONNECTING SAID LOADINGLEVER WITH SAID PUSHER MEMBER, SPRING MEANS MOVING BY THE AID OF SAIDCONNECTING MEMBER AND AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE LAST CARTRIDGE THROUGHSAID GUIDES ARRANGED AHEAD OF SAID FEEDER CHANNEL SAID LOADING LEVERFROM ITS LOADING POSITION INTO ITS DROP-OFF POSITION AND SAID PUSHERMEMBER FROM ITS POSITION OF READINESS INTO ITS WORKING POSITION, SAIDCONVEYOR MEANS MOVING SAID LOADING LEVER FROM ITS DROP-OFF POSITION INTOITS LOADING POSITION TO LOAD SAID SPRING MEANS BY THE ACTION OF THEFIRST CARTRIDGE BEING PUSHED THROUGH SAID GUIDES.